FAQs    

1. What is customs clearance?

A customs clearance represents activities to be conducted by customs authority and determined by Customs law, other regulations and legal act of central customs authority.

2. What is the customs export clearance?

The customs export clearance is a set of acts beginning from declaration of goods to be taken through customs border at customs authority up to inspection of customs documents, if necessary of goods, and permission to enter goods through customs border after payment of imposed duty. 

3.What is a customs regime ?

A custom regime means the norms, conditions and requirements established on goods and vehicles to be crossed across customs border.  Choosing a regime provides with the possibility for location of goods and solution of other correlated matters relating to stages of customs clearance and inspection, amount and percentage of customs duties and taxes due for current goods.

4. What are types of regimes for exit of goods abroad ?

Types of regimes for exit of goods abroad:
- Export of goods;
- Temporary export of goods abroad;
- Processing goods abroad;
- Re-export of goods abroad.

 

5.Can I clear my goods at any Customs office in Mongolia or do they have to be cleared at a specific Customs office?

You must clear the goods at the Customs office where the Customs authorities receive, register and verify customs documents and conduct a physical inspection of goods. This includes Ulaanbaatar International Airport and major Customs border offices.

Click on Market access/guide to import to view a list of Customs offices where goods can be cleared in Mongolia

6. What Customs clearance documents are needed to import commercial goods?

Business entities and individuals shall submit the following Customs documents when admitting goods and means of transport cross the state border:

• Cargo Manifesto
• Waybill or shipment documents
• Foreign trade agreement
• Pro-forma invoice
• Product packaging documentation
• Certificate of origin of goods
• Permissions, licenses of related authorities (if required)
• Product quality certificate, certificate of conformity, laboratory test results ( if required )
• Receipt of payment of customs taxes and  related fees
• Documents authorizing partial or complete exemptions from customs and other taxes (if necessary)
• Customs declaration
• Remittance for payment, price documentation
• Other materials on request         

7. What is the customs value?
 

The Customs value is, in short, the price set as a percentage of the value of the goods for tax purposes. 

The Law of Mongolia on Customs Tariffs and Duties stipulates that “Customs value is the price determined in accordance with this law for the purpose of imposing customs duties and producing customs statistics”.

8.Can I look up the Mongolian Customs Tariff on-line?

Yes.  The complete HS commodity classification and general, MFN and preferential import tariffs applicable in Mongolia within the Mongolian trade information portal.

9.What is an HS (or Tariff code)  and how can I find the HS (Tariff code) for my commodity?
In international trade, each product is assigned a particular classification code using the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System or simply Harmonized System (HS). The HS is an international standardised system of classifying goods, it is based on a 8-digit nomenclature developed by the World Customs Organization. You can search your “goods” commodity (tariff) code on the MTIP by clicking on “Commodity and Tariff” on the ‘Trade in Goods’ menu bar to find the applicable HS tariff code. Use the description of the product to search for the tariff code.

10.What is Customs Duty?

Customs Duty is the charge levied on imports and listed in the tariff schedules. Payment of Customs Duty on all imported goods is provided for Mongolian Customs Law, unless exempted under the law or other government regulations. Apart from Customs Duty, Some imported goods may be subjected to Excise Duty and Import VAT. Examples of goods that are subjected to all 3 taxes – Customs Duty, Excise Duty and Import VAT includes Alcohol, Cigarettes and Motor Vehicles, among others.

11.Do always need to get an import and export permission and license before importing and exporting goods in Mongolia ?

Yes. It is compulsory for an importer or exporter to have at least a trading permission and license  before they can engage in trade of any sort in Mongolia .

However, there are specific types of goods that require an import and export permit and license before transactions.

12.What categories of goods are exempt from payment of import taxes?

Import tax exemptions are regulated by the laws approved by the Parliament and legal acts approved in accordance with them.

The following goods admitted into the Customs territory are exempted from the Customs duties such as:

• Special purpose equipment for use by people with disabilities, artificial bodyparts and parts thereof;

• Goods of humanitarian and irrevocable assistance (relief goods);

• Currencies and mongolian national bank-notes ordered and produced abroad;
• Travellers’ personal effects;
• Blood, blood-products, tissues and body organs (bodyparts) for medical use;
• Fuel gas, gas containers, equipment, special purpose machines, machinery, mechanical appliances and tools or accessories thereof;
• Imported logs, timber and lengthwise sawn wood as well as seeds, seedlings and saplings of such trees or bushes (shrubs) which are not subject to prohibition

More information for goods to be exempted from import tariffs please visit: www.Customs.gov.mn

 

13.Are goods for diplomatic missions exempted from payment of duty?

Yes. All goods and vehicles for diplomatic missions approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are exempted from Customs duty as long as they comply with the required documentation. In this case a Customs declaration will be captured and an appropriate customs procedure code entered in a particular field of the customs declaration form.

14.What goods are prohibited to import and export in Mongolia?

Before importing goods into Mongolia, an importer should ensure that the goods do not fall into the category of prohibited goods.  The prohibited goods cannot be imported, exported, transited, sold or circulated in Mongolia.

The importers who attempted to smuggle prohibited goods into Mongolia will be punished by fining in accordance with the laws of Mongolia, the prohibited goods will be confiscated or destructed in accordance with the Customs and Excise tax laws, or other measures provided by law will be taken.

More information on prohibited goods : www@customs.gov.mn.

15.Do I have to use a Customs Agent (or Broker) for importing or exporting commercial goods into or out of Mongolia?

Yes, Using a Customs agent or broker to clear all commercial goods at importation and exportation is mandatory and provide under the Customs law.

Using a Customs agent also ensures that all trading regulatory requirements are adequately complied with and may save unnecessary delays. Customs brokers and their employees exercise the rights and perform the obligations of Customs declaration as prescribed in the Customs law.

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16.Do I need to fill in a Customs Declaration when I arrive in Mongolia?

No. You can just walk through the nothing to declare or Green Channel.

If you are carrying goods in excess of the duty free allowance or if you are in doubt you must walk through the Red Channel and declare the goods to the Customs officer on duty.

An appropriate declaration form will be issues to you either at arrival at the border or airport or while still on the aircraft or bus.

If you are in doubt about this, please ask Customs officers at the airports or at the Customs border office. 

17.What methods are used for determining Customs value of export goods?

In order to determine Customs value of goods following method should be used  as follows:

The transaction value method 

The costs calculation method;                   

The transaction value method for identifical or similar  goods

The market value research  method

For detailed information on Customs valuation visit: www@customs.gov.mn .

18. Which state was concluded the Free Trade Agreement with Mongolia?

The first Economic Partnership Agreement or Free Trade Agreement was signed between Mongolia and Japan on June 7, 2016.

Under this Agreement, Mongolia agreed to exempt or gradually reduce the import tariffs on about 5,700 types of goods, and Japan on about 9,300 types of goods.

Mongolia has joined the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Agreement and its full membership will start in 2021.

For the detailed information on FTAs please visit: www.Mongoliatradeportal .gov.mn

19.Where  can I get a list of trade conventions and agreements Mongolian joined?

You can get a list of  trade conventions and  agreements of Mongolia to visit Home page, market access menu of the Mongolian Trade information portal .

20.How many trade-related legal contents including laws, policy documents, regulations, measures such as special permissions and licenses and forms have uploaded in the Mongolian trade information portal ?

Over 400 trade-related laws, policy documents, regulations, measures such as special permissions and licenses and forms have uploaded in the Mongolian trade information portal.

 

21.Can I obtain the information on market background, business partnership, and list of import and export companies in Mongolia by searching About us menu of the  Mongolia Trade Information Portal?

The Mongolian trade information portal provides information regarding import and export trade-related laws, policy documents, regulations, measures such as special permissions and licenses and forms.

If you would like to have information about potential business partners, list of import and export companies and business opportunities, we recommend that you contact the Mongolian Chamber of Commerce and Ulaanbaatar Chamber of Commerce.